Fishing Spider

Many people think of spiders as creatures that live in dark places, like basements and crawl spaces. In fact, spiders can be found in almost every type of environment. Swamp spiders in the family Pisauridae live in wetlands and swamps. Others, called Fishing Spiders, live near ponds and streams. Many of these swamp spiders and fishing spiders get their food right out of the water.

This pisaurid fishing spider from Ecuador displays a characteristic curved row of posterior eyes. Fishing spiders are most frequently found around water and are capable of dashing across the surface of a stream without breaking the surface tension. These large Ecuadorian spider inhabited the steep banks of a tropical creek. The females carried around her neatly spun orange egg sac wherever she went to ensure the safety of her precious cargo. Some astrologers consider Arachne the lost thirteenth sign of the zodiac.